Superintendent Im Tae-hee on 'Howon Elementary Teacher Death': "Principal and Vice Principal Disciplined... Malicious Parent Complaints Referred for Investigation"

Gyeonggi Provincial Superintendent of Education Lim Tae-hee is announcing the investigation results related to the teacher death incident at Uijeongbu Howon Elementary School on the 21st.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education has initiated disciplinary actions against the principal, vice principal, and other administrators of Uijeongbu Howon Elementary School in connection with a teacher who died by suicide two years ago. Additionally, on the 20th, the office requested a police investigation into three parents who filed malicious complaints, accusing them of obstructing educational activities.

On the 21st, the Office of Education announced the results of its investigation regarding the Uijeongbu Howon Elementary School case at the Suwon Southern Government Complex, confirming that the deceased teacher, Lee Young-seung (male), had experienced interference with his educational activities.

In 2016, during his first year of appointment, Lee was the homeroom teacher for a sixth-grade student who injured the back of his hand while cutting a PET bottle during class. Lee received repeated contacts from the student’s parent. In 2021, one parent persistently demanded attendance records from March to December despite their child’s long-term absence due to home study, COVID-19 symptoms, school attendance suspension, and early dismissal for illness, causing Lee to suffer from malicious complaints.

The Office of Education referred these three parents to the Uijeongbu Police Station on the previous day on charges of obstructing work by interfering with the teacher’s educational activities.

Furthermore, after confirming that Lee had endured such malicious complaints before his death, the office decided to hold a disciplinary committee soon for the Howon Elementary School principal and vice principal, who had classified Lee’s death as a simple fall.

Superintendent Lim Tae-hee stated, "It has not been confirmed whether the school was aware of these facts before the teacher’s death. Regarding actions taken after the death, we cannot disclose specific names, numbers, or retirement status, but disciplinary review will be conducted for all involved."

Regarding the teacher’s posthumous recognition as a public official who died in the line of duty, he added, "If the victim’s family applies, the Ministry of Personnel Management will review and decide. Should Lee’s family apply, the Office of Education plans to provide administrative and procedural support."

Meanwhile, no interference with educational activities was confirmed concerning Kim Eun-ji (female), another teacher who worked at Howon Elementary and died earlier. Both teachers were understood not to have experienced difficulties related to work overload.

Both teachers were found deceased near their homes in June and December 2021, respectively.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.